Four of abducted Iranian guards freed: Iran official

Politics - Four out of five Iranian border guards abducted by Jaish-ul-Adl terrorist group have been reportedly released.

On Friday, Deputy Chairman of Iran’s Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Esmail Kosari confirmed the release of four soldiers.

“The abducted Iranian border guards have been handed over to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s liaison in Pakistan, but they have not entered the country yet,” Kosari added.

The comments come after the Salafi terrorist group announced the release of the Iranian guards through Saudi news channel al-Arabiyah, with which it has close ties.

Pakistan, however, says it cannot confirm the reports.

Jaish-ul-Adl terrorists kidnapped five Iranian border guards in Jakigour region in Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan on February 6 and took them to the Pakistani territory.

The group later announced it had executed one of the guards. Iran summoned Pakistan’s ambassador to Tehran in connection with the announced killing.

News of the abduction also sparked a massive social media campaign by Iranian and international activists known as “Free Iranian Soldiers,” calling for the release of the five Iranian border guards.

On October 25, 2013, the terrorist group killed 14 Iranian border guards and wounded six others in a border region near the city of Saravan in Sistan and Baluchestan Province.

Iran and Pakistan signed a security agreement in February 2013, under which both countries are required to cooperate in preventing and combating organized crime, fighting terrorism and countering activities that pose a threat to the national security of either country.

Iran has repeatedly called on Pakistan to abide by the terms of the agreement.